Are You A Prepper?

By Kevin Uptengrove

We can say with certainty that those Christians who believe that the Tribulation period (Daniel’s 70th Week) is imminent, and believe we will live through this prophetic 7 years, are in a way preparing the way for the Second Coming of the Lord (Mark 1:3). These preppers are warning all believers that we must prepare for this new, unprecedented era in human history that will bring much destruction and heartache BEFORE and during the 7 years. Like Noah, we must lay down our lives to preach repentance and a call to prepare physically for these difficult times… until every eye will see Him.

To me life is not worth living unless we are willing to die for Jesus. It then behooves us to live so that we can propagate that worthy cause we would die for. But first we must learn how to die to self before we can truly live for Christ.

How much time have we got?

Doug Krieger writes “There are 4008 360-day prophetic years between the creation of Adam and “Messiah the Prince” and between 33 AD and the present there are 1980 solar years for a total of 5,988 years (prophetic and solar) – there will be 12 years left of which we have 5 solar and 7 prophetic which were “backed out” purposefully for they are the final 360-day years constituting the 70th Week—that means that in 2018 will be the commencement of the 70th week which will begin on Passover and extend 250 days unto the Feast of Dedication with the Third Temple—in the middle of these first 250 days (actually 120 days from Passover signaling the “120 Jubilee Cycles are at a close – i.e., 120 Jubilee Cycles X 50 years is equal to 6,000 years) will be a BULL’S EYE BLOOD MOON on 27 July 2018 (look it up) — “the Moon will be turned to blood” – 27 July 2018 happens (just happens) to be the week of the 9th of AV which is the commemoration of the destruction of BOTH the Temple of Solomon and that of the Herodian Temple—after 250 days will be 1,010 days of “Sacrifice” and then in the Middle of the Week will be the Abomination of Desolation and then 1,260 days of the persecution of the saints and then the Rapture/Snatching and then the Wrath of the Lamb.”

Based on this calculation we have at least 5 years until the 70th Week (i. e., 2018) – this is based on 6,000 years of “human history”. And since all the bowls and the seven-fold trumpet occur between the 1,260th and the 1,290th days of the latter half of Daniel’s 70th Week, that may give us another 3.5 years in America to fully prepare (i. e., 2022). However, I prefer to not depend on having 5 to 8 years to prepare. Instead, I hope to be established in this gentle lifestyle before it is needed, whenever it does happen.

Lest we get side tracked and miss the point; unless we are willing to get killed for Jesus’ sake (as the Apostles were) we will not be able to live for Jesus to the fullest. I have learned that the purpose of life is to prepare for eternity. Therefore, success is measured by treasures we have laid up in eternity, not here in this lifetime. (Ref: 1 John 2:15-17). Or as Leonard Ravenhill said it: “This life is a dressing room for eternity—THAT’S ALL IT IS!”

Now I have purpose, and that purpose is to prepare the way of Yeshua! He is my life and eternity. To me this defines the Christian prepper ministry. I know that was a heavy introduction. It just seemed important to show you the heart of a Christian prepper and the ministry my wife and I are called into.

In 1974, my Lord and Savior gave me my life’s commission, my reason to survive … my reason to live. That is when the Lord told me to prepare His people physically and spiritually for this prophetic time we are now in, to propagate a survivor’s lifestyle … to establish a self-sustaining community of like minded Christians for the times we are in. Premillennialists call this climatic time the Seven Year Tribulation, or the Seventieth Week of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27).

Very few Christians believed this prepper message from the Lord in 1974, 1984, 1994 or 2004, but now millions do. It is estimated by Answer.com that there are 3.6 million “preppers” in America. Activist Post publishes that there are 4 million preppers in America, but there may be many more than that. But what percentage of them are true, committed Christians, I haven’t seen any statistics.

Many professing Christians are now aware of the imploding of our economy and corrupt government, as well as the impending wars and worldwide economic collapse. Sharks look more sinister when you are walking the plank than they do when you are safely on deck. The problem is that millions of blind-folded brethren still don’t know they are already walking the plank. At some point, reality will awaken a few of them and they will have spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear those Great White sharks biting chunks out of that flimsy plank under their unsure feet (Matthew 13:14-15).

We are talking about a small minority, a remnant who will awaken, brethren. A Tiny Minority

Of course, many survivalists and preppers (and a vast majority of society) are not Christians and could care less what we say here. They will not prepare spiritually for what is coming down, and even the most optimum physical preparation still will not prepare them for the stark reality of facing impending death… and eternity, and may prove to have all been in vain. That is why, in my thinking, spiritual preparation takes top priority.

A well known saying is “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. That is what preparing is all about. Let me share with you how I feel led to prepare to help people survive in this prophetic time the Bible warns us of, and that many believe we have already entered into.

Remember, whatever you do may mean the difference between life and death for you and your family.

Among those who opt to prepare, there are two camps of thought, the preppers and the survivalists … with variations of each. For my part, I am a prepper, but a lot of Christian survivalists come to my website to see my rather unique prepper approach. I call this concept an Acts model Christian Community of Intentional Neighbors life style. In another article I will tell you all about this concept. Just know that, by Acts model I mean the whole book of Acts. Until then I will let this quote from Andrew Strom suffice.

“You know, Christianity is not designed to be lived out by a pack of “individualists”. And half-committed “building-attenders” on Sunday mornings are not it either. Christianity is designed to be lived out CORPORATELY—the “Body of Christ” — an entity that can be seen and observed by people — full of the glory of Jesus. A Body that corporately carries all the words and power and love and miracles of the King.”

Let me ask you, do you believe hard times are coming? Or, are hard times already here? And just how bad can the coming hard times be? How would God have you prepare for such a time as this, physically, mentally, and spiritually? If any of this is true, how much time do we have left? Can any of this happen before the onset of the 70th week of Daniel and the Second Coming?

Dr. Arno Fruchtenbaum, a highly committed pre-tribulationalist and a highly reputed scholar, points out in his study The Footsteps of the Messiah that the lead-up to the actual 70th week of Daniel is fraught with many of the very hardships and trials that will occur during the Tribulation itself: world-wide war, famine, global epidemics, and large scale natural disasters (Matthew 24:7-8).

He goes on to insist that the events which together comprise the lead-up to The 70th week of Daniel, what Jesus calls “birth pangs,” have been occurring since at least World War I—and have been intensifying ever since—to the extent that they are now impossible to ignore.

But other prominent pre-tribulationalist theologians, such as Dr. Chuck Missler, agree with Dr. Fruchtenbaum on this point, and are making preparations. The implication is obvious: church leaders—even those convinced that the church will be raptured prior to the Tribulation—should be preparing their respective congregations for hard times ahead; that, in short, the church is not being well served by leaders who fail to do so.

Like everyone else, Preppers plan, prepare, and have priorities. What are you planning and preparing for? Retirement? A Caribbean cruse? A hydroponic greenhouse? You see, EVERYONE is a prepper! But are you preparing for what you want or for what is actually going to happen?

Some preppers are moving out of America because they believe our nation is the Babylon the great spoken of in Rev 17, 18. They don’t seem to know when the Bible says the Wrath of God will be poured out on this wicked world, and Babylon the Great will be among may places that will be utterly destroyed … in the 30 day period AFTER the 70 weeks and the rapture. Whether the Wrath of God period is 30 days or 3 or more months (according to some teachers), the principle is the same. The rapture takes place BEFORE God releases His wrath.

Do you see how presumptuous it would be for a Christian prepper to leave America based on such a false teaching?
So, what can we do to prepare ourselves (physically, mentally, and spiritually) for such a time? One of the basic characteristics of those whose lives have been established on the Kingdom of God, is that they will have peace and come alive, even thriving during times of trouble. This is because they have been prepared to live in the greatest time of trouble the world has ever known. They prepared by building their lives on the Kingdom, not on the things of this world that are so easily shaken.

CONCLUSION:
Prayerfully consider what the Holy Spirit may be quickening in your heart as you consider this message.

Remember, whatever you do may mean the difference between life and death for you and your family. But at the same time, it is not about our surviving. It is not about the rapture. It is not about our escape. It is not about our comfort. It is all about God’s testimony. It is all about preparing the way for the Second Coming. Again, as Leonard Ravenhill said: “This life is a dressing room for eternity—THAT’S ALL IT IS!” So, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s, and eternity is a long time.

Let’s not trifle with life or God’s word. Let’s be prepared, brethren!

Ken Uptegrove